Yeshiva World News

ISRAEL: Eat Your Vegetables! Their Healthy for You!

The findings of a study released by the Central Bureau of Statistics reveals some alarming information. The level of pesticides in agricultural produce in Israel in 2008-2010 is the highest among OECD nations. This means that the Israeli agricultural produce is the most dangerous food in the world from among Western nations. The study examined components of pesticides used by companies that manufacture or import materials to Israel, and it was learned that the toxic materials in 3.5 ...

CPR Less Likely For Minorities On Street Or Home

People who collapse from cardiac arrest in poor black neighborhoods are half as likely to get CPR from family members at home or bystanders on the street as those in better-off white neighborhoods, according to a study that found the reasons go beyond race. The findings suggest a big need for more knowledge and training, the researchers said. The study looked at data on more than 14,000 people in 29 U.S. cities. It's one of the largest to show how race, income and other neighborhood ...

Encouraging Research on Alzheimer’s at Haifa University

Alzheimer’s research has focused primarily on efforts to identify and treat the factors that contribute to familial (genetic) dementia, which is caused by known mutations. This new research sought to understand the mechanisms in the development of Alzheimer’s that are linked to molecular response to the metabolic distress that increases with age. * A link has been discovered between Alzheimer’s disease and the activity level of a protein called eIF2alpha. This has been reported in a ...

Increasing Concerns Regarding Cancer in Israel

Health Ministry officials announce that the old statistic that 1 in every 9 women in Israel will contract breast cancer is a thing of the past, and sadly, today that number is 1 out of every 7.5 women. A women living in Eretz Yisrael has a 13% chance of contracting the illness during her lifetime. Israel ranks fifth in the world for women contracting the disease, but ninth regarding the mortality rate from the cancer. The announcement was made by ministry officials at a press conference ...

Alzheimer Drug Shows Promise in Mild Disease

Combined results from two studies of an experimental Alzheimer's drug suggest it might modestly slow mental decline, especially in patients with mild disease. Taken separately, the studies on the drug — Eli Lilly & Co.'s solanezumab — missed their main goals of significantly slowing the mind-robbing disease or improving activities of daily living. But pooled results found 34 percent less mental decline in mild Alzheimer's patients compared to those on a fake treatment for 18 ...

Health: Getting Through The Yomim Tovim

It’s that time of the year again - the holiday season. Perhaps nothing is more challenging than getting through from Rosh Hashanah to Simchas Torah with your health and weight intact. As daunting and challenging as this may seem, a few little tricks and bit of self-discipline can get you through virtually unscathed. There are essentially three areas where we all tend to get into trouble. One - the amounts of food we consume sitting at our tables for our festive meals, two - the types of ...

Oneg Shabbos?

We all love Shabbos.  The day that the world keeps going, but we Jews step off and indulge in acts that bring a special kedushah to the day.  There are many aspects of that kedusha including special davening, not engaging in melacha (39 catagories of work prohibited on Shabbos), a day when we can spend quality time with our families and that we may not have during a busy week.  One of the aspects of keeping Shabbos to keep it holy is to eat 3 festive meals.  Aside from these obligatory ...

CDC: West Nile Outbreak Could Be Biggest Ever

This year's West Nile virus outbreak is on track to be the biggest ever since the virus first appeared in the United States in 1999, U.S. health officials reported Wednesday. As of the third week of August, there have been a total of 1,118 cases of West Nile virus in people in 38 states, including 41 deaths. "The number of West Nile virus disease cases has risen dramatically in recent weeks, and indicate that we're in the midst of one of the largest outbreaks ever seen in the U.S.," Dr. ...

Study: Egg Yolks Almost As Bad For Arteries As Smoking

Whether boiled, scrambled or sunny-side up, cholesterol-rich egg yolks can stiffen your arteries almost as much as smoking, a new study suggests. "People at risk of vascular disease should not eat egg yolks," contends study lead author Dr. David Spence, professor of neurology at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. The cholesterol found in an egg's yellow center can even clog the carotid artery leading to the brain, upping risks for stroke, he pointed out. "Carotid plaque ...

Health: It's No Sweat!

Deodorants, antiperspirants, body sprays -- people go through considerable effort to hide the fact that they sweat. Sweating may not be everyone’s favorite thing to do, if anything, most people don’t like to sweat, don’t like to smell from sweating and I would presume this is not a particularly favorite subject of conversation. But, if we didn’t sweat, our health would be harmed in a serious way. Perspiration or sweating is the production of a fluid, primarily water as well as ...

Health: What Happened in Naperville?

Did you ever hear of Naperville Illinois? Naperville is a town near Chicago and the subject of a fascinating experiment written about by psychiatrist Dr. John Ratey in his groundbreaking book “Spark”. Most high schools in the United States have the standard physical education classes consisting of competitive sports such as football, basketball, track and field and some basic calisthenics. Some students excel at sports, others just get by and many can’t wait until the end of the ...

Health: All Those Numbers

You weigh 176 pounds.  Your BMI is 26.6.  Your waist to hip measurement is 0.8.  Your body fat is at 24%. What is one to make of all this?  First, let us deal with the scale which will give you your weight in pounds or kilo. And that is all it tells us.  It doesn’t tell you how much of that weight is because you are big or small framed (boned) and it certainly can’t differentiate between how much is muscle (healthy) and how much is fat weight (unhealthy).  The number on the scale ...

FDA Approves Highly Anticipated Weight-Loss Pill

The Food and Drug Administration is approving a weight loss drug from Vivus Inc. that many doctors consider the most effective therapy among a new generation of anti-obesity pills. The agency cleared the pill Qsymia for adults who are obese or overweight and have at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol. Patients taking Qsymia for one year lost 11 percent of their body weight, on average. That was more than two other weight loss pills ...

Health: Be Happy! It Pays

Happiness is a strong factor in determining health and longevity.  Be happy and optimistic say recent studies and you will be healthier and possibly live longer. It sounds straight forward enough, but how can a person be happy and optimistic if he is ill or has serious problems?  Can I choose to change my mood despite my life circumstances?  Can I simply control my moods and turn them around? A few years ago at his weekly shiur, HaGaon Rav Asher Weiss Shlita mentioned a very intriguing ...

Can Spanking Cause Mental Illness?

Parents often ask me whether spanking is really so bad. After all, they were spanked as kids and they turned out fine. Plus, it's the only thing that will get their child to listen, they say. Much research has focused on the effects that severe child abuse can have on a person's mental well-being. But a new study published in the July issue of the journal Pediatrics takes a look at the possible link between mental health disorders and harsh physical punishment in the absence of abuse. The ...

Health: Your Brain Too!

The benefits of exercise and good nutrition are certainly well known. Not only can a balanced and consistent exercise program and healthful eating lead to a better quality of life and even lengthen your life, some recent research indicates that it is also great for your brain, especially in avoiding and curing depression. Depressive disorders affect approximately 18.8 million American adults or about 9.5% of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. Everyone will at some time in ...

FDA Approves First New Weight Loss Drug In Years

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first new weight loss drug in more than a decade. Arena Pharmaceutical's anti-obesity pill Belviq was cleared for use by adults who are overweight and have at least one medical complication like diabetes or high cholesterol. The FDA initially rejected the drug in 2010 after animals developed tumors during testing. The agency reconsidered after the company submitted additional data this year. Doctors have been urging the FDA to ...